Winnacunnet’s way stymies Red Raiders for title

Monday

Dec 31, 2012 at 3:15 AM

By STEVE CRAIGPortsmouth Herald

DURHAM – When Winnacunnet High’s Ryan Gigliotti, the eventual Bobcat Invitational tournament MVP, hit a cold spell in the second half, the Warriors had plenty of alternatives to pick up the slack in Sunday’s title game.

When Spaulding big man Dominic Paradis picked up his fourth foul and had to sit down with 4:35 left in the third period, the Red Raiders were not so fortunate.

Spaulding was within four points at the time but struggled to mount enough offense while the Warriors used big second halves from junior guards Rich Ruffin and Sam Knollmeyer to keep Spaulding at bay and win, 67-56.

Knollmeyer was Winnacunnet’s representative on the all-tournament team.

“I think we do have (multiple options) as a trait because in practice kids have to make plays. We’re going at each other all practice,” said Knollmeyer, who scored a game-high 17 points, including a late clutch 3-pointer to push the lead to 63-53 with two minutes to play.

“This was a statement game, not only for the rest of the state but for us,” Knollmeyer said.

Spaulding entered the tournament with a 3-0 record in Division I and is seen by some “as a top three team,” according to Warrior Coach Jay McKenna.

Winnacunnet was 2-1 but the one loss was an ugly setback at Nashua South. McKenna said his team had set a goal to win the Bobcat.

“The ultimate goal is to win a state championship but there are steps that you need to take in order to better your chances to achieve that goal and one of those is to win your Christmas tournament,” McKenna said. “And the fact that we beat a quality team, a very good team in Spaulding, is very helpful.”

“I think (Winnacunnet is) a tough matchup for anybody because they’ve got skilled perimeter players,” Spaulding Coach Tim Cronin said. “They can handle the ball, they can pass the ball, and they are very athletic. They do pose problems.”

Gigliotti opened the game knocking three straight 3-pointers to stake Winnacunnet to a 12-4 lead barely two minutes into the game.

Spaulding kept coming back with Paradis scoring seven in the first half and both Alex Gray and NicK MacGregor hitting two 3-pointers.

Second-quarter 3-pointers by Knollmeyer and Ruffin helped keep Winnacunnet safely in front, as did six first-half points from Jason Cutting down low.

Consecutive tip-ins by Knollmeyer, a 6-foot guard, were critical.

“That was all luck. I was trying to grab it and it went in,” Knollmeyer said.

“Everybody thinks they aren’t going to rebound. They go to the offensive glass very, very well,” Cronin said. “I told our guys before the game, but …”

Winnacunnet took a 40-29 lead into the half and got a bonus when Paradis fouled Seth Edwards in the waning seconds.

Spaulding, however, came out much sharper to start the third quarter and ran off eight straight points by working the ball down low. In the process, Winnacunnet’s best rebounder Ben Gareau picked up his third and fourth fouls, essentially relegating him to the bench until late in the game.

Desperately needing a hoop, Winnacunnet got one when Ruffin up-faked a Spaulding defender from behind the arc, stepped forward and calmly swished a 15-footer from the baseline.

Moments later Paradis picked up his fourth foul.

“He’s our go-to player, obviously. When you lose him everybody knows it and I think (Spaulding’s players) have it in their head that they have to do everything so they over-try,” Cronin said.

From that point, Spaulding shot 7-of-25 from the floor.

“I thought the second half for us was just a tale of missed opportunities,” Cronin said.

Winnacunnet countered with not only Ruffin (10 of his 13 in the second half) and Knollmeyer but also got key buckets from Alec Boucher (3-pointer) and Sam Siegart (bucket in the paint).

“Guys that aren’t necessarily the go-to guys if you will but everyone contributed. Everyone had a piece of it,” McKenna said.